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Chapter 1

Definitions and overview

1.1 What is Debian GNU/Linux?

Debian GNU/Linux is a particular distribution of the Linux operating system, and numerous

packages that run on it.

In principle, users could obtain the Linux kernel via the Internet or from elsewhere, and com 

pile it themselves. They could then obtain source code for many applications in the same way,

compile the programs, then install them into their systems. For complicated programs, this

process can be not only time consuming but error prone. To avoid it, users often choose to

obtain the operating system and the application packages from one of the Linux distributors.

What distinguishes the various Linux distributors are the software, protocols, and practices

they use for packaging, installing, and tracking applications packages on users' systems, com 

bined with installation and maintenance tools, documentation, and other services.

Debian GNU/Linux is the result of a volunteer effort to create a free, high quality Unix 

compatible operating system, complete with a suite of applications. The idea of a free Unix 

like system originates from the GNU project, and many of the applications that make Debian

GNU/Linux so useful were developed by the GNU project.

For Debian, free has the GNUish meaning (see the Debian Free Software Guidelines (

http:

//www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines

)). When we speak of free software,

we are referring to freedom, not price. Free software means that you have the freedom to

distribute copies of free software, that you receive source code or can get it if you want it, that

you can change the software or use pieces of it in new free programs; and that you know you

can do these things.

The Debian Project was created by Ian Murdock in 1993, initially under the sponsorship of the

Free Software Foundation's GNU project. Today, Debian's developers think of it as a direct

descendent of the GNU project.

Debian GNU/Linux is:

  full featured: Debian includes more than 15400 software packages at present. Users can

select which packages to install; Debian provides a tool for this purpose. You can find a